Duplicating apparatus



' Dec. 22, 1936.

W. RITZERFELD I DUPLICATING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6 1935 2 Sheets-Sh eet 1 INVENTOR. W/LHELM R/TZE/TF'ELD ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 22 1936 PATENT OFFICE DUPLIOATING APPARATUS Wilhelm Ritzerleld, Berlin, Germany Germany September 7, 1934 'Applicatki: September 6, 1935, Serial No. 39,378

is Claims. (01. 101-132) The present invention relates toa duplicating apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus for printing records from a'copyable mirrorscript original onto a continuous strip of paper.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a duplicating apparatus which is simple and efilcient and which produces prints onto a continuous strip of paper previously moistened with a-rapidly volatilizing' solvent and from a copyable mirror-script original.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a duplicating apparatus which is adapted to print onto a continuous strip of paper and is adapted to cut this strip of paper into individual printed sheet of adjustablelength.

A further object of the invention is an apparatus ior multiplying records which is easily adaptable for handling printing drums of different dimensions for printing onto sheets of various length cut from a continuous strip of paper imbddying the principles of the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a fragmentary and sectional view of the driving gears in a duplicating apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig1 3 depicts a vertical sectional view of lever I v 26 shown in Fig. 2.

Generally speaking, according to the principles of my invention I provide a feed roll containing I the continuous strip of paper, a moistening device for moistening this strip of paper with a rapidly vvolatilizing solvent, a printing drum be'aring the copyable mirror-script original and cooperating with a counter pressure roller. An automatic cuttingdevice for the paper strip is provided and arranged behindthe printing drum cutting device immediately behind the printing pulling the continuous strip of paper from the feed roll so that the co tmuous strip 01 cutting lengths may be regulated with great uous strip of paper:

paper is conveyed to the cutting device exclusively by means of the printing drum and the counter pressure roller. It is desirable to arrange the feed roll as an adjustable unit in order to align the continuous strip of paper. The cut- 5 ting device essentiallycomprises one knife or a plin'ality of knives rotativelyarranged 'around an axle and cooperating with a stationary knife, resiliently and adjustably secured to the machine frame. The rotatable knives are at a distance from their axle s'uiflcient to provide for free passage of the printed paper between axle and knife. To insure straight cutting of the continuous paper strip during its motion I arrange the cutting edges of the movable or ro- 15 angle being capable of adjustment according to the speed of the paper strip or to other considerations. To change the cutting length, I provide a cam or the like driven from the printing drum 20 and which periodically pushes the stationary knife out of its working position or pushing the same back into its working position so that vI 1 to different cutting lengths during operation of the apparatus is effected by switching on or ofl the drive of the cam. In some cases, I also employ additional means of controlling or adjusting the movable or rotatable knives -changing the position of the knives-in relation to the axle or to each other whereby the cision.

' According to further principles of my invention I provide both means for continuously driving the printing drum and the cutting device as well as means for intermittently rotatmg the printing drum only. -I employ a change gear or the like for operating one of these means'whereby it is possible either to print onto a continuous paper strip or onto sheets individually fed into the apparatus. Chang ng over to difi'erent methods of operation or to different cutting length is accomplished by means of one member, preferably by a lever that controls the change gear driving the printing drum, the knife drum and also the cam controlling the stationary knife. when the duplicating apparatus embodying my invention is set to print onto single sheets the knife drum is held in a definite stationary position by an adjustable stop which is automatically pushed aside by the knife drum.

when changing over to printing onto a contin- I arrange the counter pressure roller adjustably so that the printing drum may be easily exchanged with other drums of different size without chan ing the of the drum. This" it" possible to use originals of widely diil'erent size and also to vary the cutting lengths. It is advantageous to have also the feeding table easily removable. For controlling the feed of the rapidly volatilizing solvent I I provide a cam of appropriate design cooperating with the moistening means which feed the solvent two or more times during each rotation of the printing drum.

Referring now more particularly 'to Fig. 1

which depicts a duplicating apparatus embody! ing the principles of my invention, the reference character I designates a continuous strip of paper wound on feed roll 2 which rests adjustably in lever 3 in order to make aligning of the paper strip powble. Over a guide roller 4 the continuous strip of paper is introduced between a printing drum 6 and a: counter pressure roller 6 whereby the paper strip is pulled oil the feed roll and over a short guide table I is conveyed to the cutting device arranged directly behind the printing drum.

The cutting device comprises movable or rotatable knives 8 and 9 which are secured at a distance on axle It in such manner that they may be adjusted if desired. The cutting edges of the knives are arranged at an angle to axle III which may be adjusted according to the feeding speed of the continuous paper strip. The stationary knife H is secured to the end of a swivel lever 312 pulled by spring it against an adjustable stop H which permits exact adjustment of the cutting edge. This stationary knife can be made temporarily inoperative by cam l6 slidably fastened on axle ii. If this cam rotating with the printing drum is slid in the direction of axle it to come into the plane of lever l8 pivoted in The gearing between the printing drum and the rotatable knives is adjusted in such manher that stationary knife II will be pushed out of its operative position by cam l6 in the same moment when one of the two rotatable knives 6 or 6 is passing the cutting edge of said stationary knife II. This will have the result that one of the rotatable knives will not cooperate with the stationary knife in cutting the continuous strip of paper. In this manner, sheets will be out having twice the length of those out when the stationary knife has been cooperating with both rotatable knives.

Fig. 2 illustrates a preferred arrangement of the driving gears in my duplicating apparatus. Both spur gear-2|,and a spur gear on segment 22 are rigidly connected to shaft 20. Between these two gears is a loosely running chain wheel rigidly connected to ratchet wheel 23, the chain wheel being driven by a motor or the like.

' On spur gear 2| isarranged a pawl 24 which is adapted to be thrown into ratchet wheel 23 by hand or foot motioned means thereby'coupling the drive to shaft 26 and to spur gears 2i and 22 secured to said shaft. Onthe printing drum axle I5 is arranged a slidable bushing 25 which can he slid on said axle and held in certain positions by means of a notch s c or 0 trolled lever 26. Thebroad spur gears2l and 28 the spur gear of segment 29 and the cam l6 already described in connection with Fig. 1 a re all rigidly fastened to bushing 25.

The operation of my duplicating apparatus will readily be understood bythose skilled in the art. In the position of the gears depicted in Fig. 2, spur gear 2| is driving gear 28 and therefore gear 2'! which in turn drives axle ill of the rotatable knives via connecting gears 30. Cam I6 is not in the plane of lever l6 and will pass same, leaving stationary knife H in its operative position all the time. Both of the rot'ative knives will cooperate with the stationary knife and thereby, for example, will cut the continuous paper strip in sheets having half the size of the standard letter size.

When lever 26 is put over into the second notch position, bushing 25 will he slid to the left without changing the gearing conditions on account of the broad spur gears 2'! and 28.

Cam l6, however, now comes in the plane of lever l8 and will cooperate with same turning away the stationary knife once for each revolution of the printing drum so that sheets of double length will be cut.

In the third notch position spur gears 2t and 28 are not connected at all but instead of these the spur gears of segments 22 and 29 become connected and cause a turning of the drum at intervals for printing on individual sheets fed into the apparatus by hand. In this position spur gears 21 and 3!! become disconnected thereby -making the knife drum and. the rotatable knives inoperative. Instead of using the electric drive the duplicating apparatus can also be driven by hand by means of a crank to be put on shaft 20. When feeding individual sheets by hand into the apparatus, a resilient stop M ,will hold the knife drum in a definite inoperative position.

For printing on larger size sheets, the printling drum may be exchanged for a larger one. The exchanging operation is made possible by having the counter pressure roller 6 arranged slidably and adjustably in a cut or slot 32. The feed table 33 is also easily removable. Cam 3! attached to the printing drum will lift the moistening device 26 when sheets are fed by hand at each revolution of the drum. Two further cams 36 are provided for opening and closing valve 38 of tank 38 containing the rapidly volatilizing solvent twice during each revo-. lution of the drum by means of rods 31.

Having now described the principles of my invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, it is readily understood that many variations and modifications of my invention may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the true scope and spirit of my invention as disclosed in the present specification and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller cc-operatingawith said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip, moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent be-. tween said drum and said roller, at least one knife rotatably arranged on .an axis, a displaceable stationary knife cooperating therewith and arranged adiustably and swingably in the maintermittently displacing said stationaryknife from an operative into an inoperative position to vary the cutting length.

2. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with saiddrum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, a plurality of knives rotatively arranged around an axle at sufllcient distance therefrom to provide free passage for said paper strip between said knives andsaid axle, a displaceable stationary knife cooperating with said knives for cutting said continuous paper strip into sheets of adjustable length, and means for intermittently displacing said stationary knife from an operative into an inoperative position to vary the cutting length.

3. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, a.plurality of knives rotatably arranged around an axle and enclosing an adjustable angle therewith, adisplaceable stationary knife resiliently and adjustably mounted in the machine frame co-operating with said rotatable knives for cutting said continuous strip of paper into indlvidual'sheets, and means for intermittently displacing said stationary knife from an operative into an inoperative position for varying the length of said sheets.

4. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a machine frame, a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original mounted in said frame, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, a plurality of'rotatable knives arranged around an axle and rotated in dependence on the printing drum, said rotatable knives being capable of adjustment of their position in relation to each other and to said axle, and a stationary knife resiliently and adjustably mounted in the machine frame adapted to cooperate with said rotatable knives for cutting said continuous paper strip into individual sheets, said stationary knife capable of being intermittently displaced from an operative into an inoperative position to vary' the length of said individual sheets.

5. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a machine frame, a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original mounted in said frame, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, a plurality of rotatable knives arranged around an axle, a displaceable stationary knife mounted in the machine frame and capable of co-operation with said-rotatable knives for cutting said paper strip, and a cam-.

like member driven in dependence on the printing drum and adapted to intermittently displace said stationary knife to make some of the rotatable knives inoperative whereby I individual sheets of greater length will be cut.

6. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, 9, coun ter pressure roller co-operating with'said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, a plurality of knives rotatably arranged around an axle, a displaceable stationary knife mounted in the machine frame and capable of co-operation with said rotatable knives for cutting said paper strip, a cam-like member adapted to intermittently displace said stationary knife to make some of the rotatable knives inoperative, and controlled driving means for said cam-like member to drive same in dependence on the printing drum whereby said paper strip will be cut to individual sheets of one length if said cam is actuated by said driving means andsaid paper strip will be cut to pieces of greater length if said cam is not actuated by said driving means.

'7. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto -a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operatlng with said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, automatic cutting means including a displaceable stationary knife and a plurality of rotatable knives for said paper strip, means for continuously driving said printing drum and said cutting means for printing onto a continuous paper strip, means for intermittently driving said printing drum, to print onto sheets fed into the apparatus individually,

ter pressure roller co-operating with said drum,

means for passing a continuous paper strip capable of being moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller,

automatic means including a displaceable Sta-- tionary knife and a plurality of rotatable knives for cutting said paper strip to sheets of adjustable length, means for continuously driving said printing drum and said cutting means for printing onto said continuous strip of paper, means for intermittently driving said printing drum to print onto sheets fed into the apparatus individually, and a control member capable of selectively actuating said driving means and of controlling the length of the sheets cut by said cutting means.

9. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum,

as. v

means for passing a continuous paper strip capable of being moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, rotatable knives, a cam-controlled stationary knife adapted to cooperate with said rotatable knives for cutting said paper strip to sheets of adjustable length, and a lever-controlled change gear for selectively driving said printing drum and said rotatable knives continuously for printing onto a continuous strip of paper and driving said printing drum intermittently for printing onto single sheets said control lever being capable of controlling the operation of the stationary knife actuated by said cam.

10. Apparatus for printing records from a.

copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip capable of, being moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script origi nal, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with' a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, rotatable knives and a stationary knife for cutting said paper strip, means for continuously driving said printing drum and said rotatable knives, means for intermittently driving said printing drum, controlling means for selectively actuating said driving means, and a stop movably arranged in the apparatus frame to hold said rotatable knives in a predetermined inoperative position when the intermittent driving means are actuated.

11. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, rotatable knives and a stationary knife for cutting said paper strip, means for continuously driving said printing drum and said rotatable knives, means for intermittently driving said printing drum, controlling means for selectively actuating said driving means, and a stop movably arranged in the apparatus frame to hold said rotatable knives -in a predetermined inoperative position when actuated.

12. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous paper strip previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co -operating with said drum, means for passing a, continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, automatic cutting means including a displaceable stationary knife and a plurality of rotatable knives for said paper strip, and cam-controlled moistening means for said paper strip to release a rapidly printing drum.

volatilizing solvent twice during revolution of the drum.

13. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto, apaper sheet comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for passing a paper sheet between said drum and said roller, automatic cutting means including a displaceable stationary knife and a plurality of rotatable knives for said paper sheet, a moistening device for moistening said paper sheet with a rapidly volatilizing solvent, and means for periodically and automatically feeding said solvent to said moistening device.

14. Apparatus for printing records from a copyable mirror-script original onto a; paper sheet comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said drum, means for.

' ing device.

15. In a duplicating apparatus printing from a copyable mirror-script original onto a continuous strip of paper previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent, the combination comprising a printing drum bearing copyable min-orescript original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said printing drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said .drum

and said roller, a displaceable stationary knife having operative and inoperative positions, and

a rotatable knife adapted to co-operate with said stationary knife in the operative position thereof to out said paper strip into individual sheets. 1

16. In a duplicating apparatus printing from a copyable mirror-script original onto a con-- tinuous strip of paper previously moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent, 'the'combination comprising a printing drum bearing copyable mirror-script original, a counter pressure roller co-operating with said printing drum, means for passing a continuous paper strip moistened with a rapidly volatilizing solvent between said drum and said roller, a displaceable stationary knife having operative and inoperative positions, at least one rotatable knife adapted to co-operate with said stationary knife in the operative position thereof to out said paper strip intoindividualsheets, means for rotating said printing drum, and means for rotating said rotatable knife in dependence on the rotation of said WILHELM FELD. 

